Flatbed vs. Dolly: How to Tow an EV Safely

Why EVs are different

In a conventional car with an automatic transmission in neutral, the wheels can often turn without driving much of the drivetrain. In many EVs, the motor is permanently geared to the wheels. Spinning the wheels spins the motor, and a spinning permanent-magnet motor can generate voltage. With the car off, that electricity has nowhere useful to go, and components may not have the active cooling they rely on. The result can be heat or electrical stress on parts that are expensive to replace.

All-wheel-drive EVs have motors on both axles, so lifting one end still leaves a motor turning. That is why manufacturers that do allow alternative methods often limit them to specific drive layouts, distances or speeds.

How to tow an EV: methods compared

Transport mode, tow mode and neutral

To load a car onto a flatbed, the wheels need to roll freely for a short distance. Many EVs have a transport, tow or free-roll mode that keeps the car in neutral and releases the parking brake. It is usually enabled from the touchscreen or a specific button sequence and often requires the low-voltage system to have power.

If the 12-volt battery is flat, the car may not be able to enter transport mode, and the parking brake may stay engaged. Tow operators may need to power the low-voltage system first, or use wheel skates or go-jaks to move the car without rolling the wheels. Dragging a car with locked wheels onto a bed can damage tires and brakes.

Attachment points and the battery underneath

EVs have a large battery pack under the floor, and the underbody may have limited strong points. Manufacturers specify where to attach a winch, usually through a screw-in tow eye kept with the tool kit, and where tie-downs can go. Hooking chains around suspension arms or under the floor can damage the pack enclosure, cooling lines or sensors. Ask the operator to use the tow eye and wheel straps or the manufacturer-approved points.

Questions to ask before loading

1. 1Will the car travel on a flatbed with all wheels off the road?
2. 2Do you know how to enable transport mode on this model?
3. 3Will you use the tow eye or wheel straps rather than chains around the underbody?
4. 4Is the bed rated for the vehicle’s weight? Many EVs are heavier than similar gas cars.
5. 5Where will the car be stored, and does the yard handle EVs after collisions?

When a dolly or short move may be acceptable

Some owner's manuals describe limited exceptions, such as moving the car a short distance at low speed with the driven wheels on dollies, or brief winching to get it onto a flatbed. These exceptions are specific to particular models and conditions. If your manual allows it and the situation requires it, for example a parking structure too low for a flatbed, a careful operator may use dollies to move the car to a place where a flatbed can load it.

What we avoid is the blanket claim that any method other than a flatbed is always forbidden, or the opposite assumption that an EV can be towed like any front-wheel-drive gas car. The manual is the rulebook.

Do you even need a tow?

Many EV breakdowns are not mechanical. A car that is simply out of range, or has a flat low-voltage battery, often needs a mobile charge or a jump-start rather than a tow. That keeps the car where you are, avoids storage fees and saves a trip to the shop. A tow is the right answer for collision damage, high-voltage warnings, drive unit faults or a car in an unsafe position.

Heavy EVs and truck capacity

Many EVs weigh considerably more than gas cars of similar size because of the battery pack. Large electric pickups and SUVs can be very heavy indeed. A light-duty flatbed that easily handles a compact sedan may be at or beyond its rated capacity with a large EV. When you request a tow, give the exact model so the dispatcher can send a truck with appropriate capacity. Overloading a truck is a safety risk for everyone on the road.

Ground clearance matters too. Low-slung EVs with aerodynamic bumpers can scrape on a steep flatbed ramp. Operators may use ramp extensions or tilt the bed to reduce the approach angle.

After a collision

A damaged EV may have a damaged high-voltage battery even if there is no visible fire or smoke. Battery damage can lead to delayed thermal events, which is why some tow yards keep damaged EVs separated from other vehicles and away from buildings. If you see smoke, hear hissing or popping, or smell an unusual chemical odor, move away and call 911.

Tell the tow operator the car is an EV and describe the damage. Experienced operators follow their own procedures and any manufacturer emergency response guidance for the model. Where possible, have the car taken to a shop that handles EV collision repair, since not every body shop is equipped to work around high-voltage systems.

Parking garages and tight spaces

Parking structures often have height limits that a flatbed cannot clear. In that case, the car may need to be moved to street level using approved methods before loading. Some operators use low-profile wheel-lift trucks with dollies for this, which is one of the situations where a manufacturer's short-distance exceptions may come into play. Ask the operator how they plan to move the car and confirm it matches your owner's manual.

The short version

Use a flatbed unless your owner’s manual clearly allows another method for your specific situation. Tell the operator the exact model, ask how they will load it, and make sure the car is in transport or tow mode when required. Those three steps prevent most EV towing problems.